clip

The clip CSS property defines a visible portion of an element. The clip property applies only to absolutely positioned elements — that is, elements with position:absolute or position:fixed.

/* Keyword value */
clip: auto;

/* <shape> values */
clip: rect(1px, 10em, 3rem, 2ch);

/* Global values */
clip: inherit;
clip: initial;
clip: revert;
clip: unset;

Syntax

Note: Where possible, authors are encouraged to use the newer clip-path property instead.

Values

<shape()>

A rectangular <shape()> of the form rect(<top>, <right>, <bottom>, <left>). The <top> and <bottom> values are offsets from the inside top border edge of the box, while <right> and <left> are offsets from the inside left border edge of the box — that is, the extent of the padding box.

The <top>, <right>, <bottom>, and <left> values may be either a <length> or auto. If any side's value is auto, the element is clipped to that side's inside border edge.

auto

The element does not clip (default). This is different from rect(auto, auto, auto, auto), which clips to the element's inside border edges.

Formal definition

Initial value	`auto`
Applies to	absolutely positioned elements
Inherited	no
Computed value	`auto` if specified as `auto`, otherwise a rectangle with four values, each of which is `auto` if specified as `auto` or the computed length otherwise
Animation type	a rectangle

Formal syntax

<shape> | autowhere 
<shape> = rect(<top>, <right>, <bottom>, <left>)

Examples

Clipping an image

CSS

.dotted-border {
  border: dotted;
  position: relative;
  width: 536px;
  height: 350px;
}

#top-left,
#middle,
#bottom-right {
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
}

#top-left {
  left: 360px;
  clip: rect(0, 175px, 113px, 0);
}

#middle {
  left: 280px;
  clip: rect(119px, 255px, 229px, 80px);
}

#bottom-right {
  left: 200px;
  clip: rect(235px, 335px, 345px, 160px);
}

HTML

<p class="dotted-border">
  <img src="https://developer.mozilla.org/@api/deki/files/3613/=hut.jpg" title="Original graphic">
  <img id="top-left" src="https://developer.mozilla.org/@api/deki/files/3613/=hut.jpg" title="Graphic clipped to upper left">
  <img id="middle" src="https://developer.mozilla.org/@api/deki/files/3613/=hut.jpg" title="Graphic clipped towards middle">
  <img id="bottom-right" src="https://developer.mozilla.org/@api/deki/files/3613/=hut.jpg" title="Graphic clipped to bottom right">
</p>

Result

Specifications

Specification
CSS Masking Module Level 1 (CSS Masking 1) # clip-property

Browser compatibility

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	WebView Android	Chrome Android	Firefox for Android	Opera Android	Safari on IOS	Samsung Internet
`clip`	1	12	1	4 Before Internet Explorer 7, Internet Explorer incorrectly interprets `clip: auto` as `clip: rect(auto, auto, auto, auto)`.	7	1 Safari incorrectly interprets `clip: auto` as `clip: rect(auto, auto, auto, auto)`.	37	18	4	14	1 Safari incorrectly interprets `clip: auto` as `clip: rect(auto, auto, auto, auto)`.	1.0